European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 5, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Page b education the stars and stripes monday december 6,19b8 competency test required of teaching applicants Washington teachers applying for positions with the military s overseas school system will have to pass a competency Tysl in order to be eligible for employment. A department of defense dependents schools offi Cial said the policy change was instituted in order to provide Quality applicants to the system. Dodds services about 180,000 students overseas. Applicants for the 1989-90 school year will be required to Lake one of three tests in order to qualify for employment. The school system has yet to establish minimum passing scores and docs not plan to do so until the 990-91 school year. Applicants for teaching positions in the 1989-90 school year can take the National teacher Examina Tion pre profs clonal skills test or the test of communication skills. Test results will be made available through the educational testing service but a school system official said applicants will not be ranked according to Tysl applying for positions As social workers school nurses vocational training instructors psychologists teachers of the communication impaired and Junior Roth instructors arc exempt from taking the test. Dodds director John Stremple has said that he opposes mandatory testing of current teachers. Small schools meeting set for Germany Region Wiesbaden principals and teachers from 18 schools arc expected to attend the Germany Region s Small schools conference feb. 13-15 at the youth hos Tel in Ober Wesco. Marian Leibowitz a new Jersey based education consultant will deliver the keynote address feb. 13. Participants Wil be offered 30 topics for discussion including sessions on computers and geography. The conference is limited to schools that service Iso Stu dents or fewer. For More information Call German civilian 06121 882 50 or ets 339-3670. 11. Bil i by i big App a third graders explore Depths of philosophy b Joseph be8geh new York times White Plains . The third graders Pon Dering what is real in their weekly philosophy class had pretty much decided that tooth fairies ghosts cartoons invisibility martians. Dracula and any thing imaginary were not real. But Stacy Lynch a shy 9-year-old with a yellow ribbon in her hair begged to differ when i came to including dreams on that list. Whenever you want something and Pray and ask the lord for it and you dream about in your dreams come True she argued in her whisper Ofa voice. Not All dreams come True objected Kim Perillo. I dreamed a lot and none of the dreams came a dream is Only a thought added Maia Steward and As soon As you Wake up they re totally with he consensus running strongly against her Stacy pouted and hid her face behind her fist but before the class was Over she came up with the clincher. I prayed to god and asked him that when my Mother goes to Jamaica if i could go with her and that dream came True because my godmother told me i m philosophy a subject most americans first encounter in College if at All has become food for thought Foran increasing number of children. At least 4,000 elementary schools around the country offer classes in philosophy said Matthew Lipman who originate Many of the programs being used. Several Hundred thousand children in almost All so states Are mulling issues of truth Justice and existence Lipman said. The teaching of philosophy is spreading because schools Are filming that philosophical discussions Are Good Way to get children to talk about values. Many educators believe that As a result of the Back to basics movement of the 1970s, american students have become Overly preoccupied with getting Correct answers on tests but arc weak at analysing implications of what they arc learning. Philosophy is taught not Only to intellectually gifted children but also to classes As diverse in achievement a class 3r at Jhc Post Road school in White Plain where some children read almost two Yean ahead of their Grade level and some read two years behind it the Post Road school s classes taught by the school s roving enrichment specialist Nancy gum Binner Letts have struggled with such metaphysical questions a what is a Friend How do we know what we know and what is just Gerard f. Vallone a professor of philosophy at Pace University who trained Letts and More than 50 teach ers m the Lipman program said the aim of this program is not to discuss the ideas of great philosophers but to become philosophers students Are expected to discuss philosophical issues through socratic methods of dialogue to ask question of their classmates evaluate the answers draw conclusions and perhaps follow up with other questions. They Are encouraged to work at understanding on another s mint of View. The children in Letts class were clearly Well trained in formal techniques of dialogue and at times Hod a sober thoughtful air More appropriate to graduate scholars than to third graders. How do you know that Maia Steward challenged Karl Hilton when he said his desk was real. I disagree and i agree declared Kim Perillo when Kart offered his reason. At one Point Karl argued that his desk was real because you can put your hands on it you can put your books inside it.". But Chris Oldi pressed him to make a More precise logical distinction. Are you Savins that anything you can put you books in is real he asked Karl. You can t put your books inside you but you re real Valanne said he questions before Letts classes Are ones that Young students naturally wonder about and May argue Over in the playground or at Home but Seldom get a Chance to debate in class. In the age of Back to basics philosophy May seem a frill but Lipman who operates the Institute for the advancement of philosophy for children at Montclair state College in upper Montclair no argues that reasoning is like the fourth r. It is essential to All work and All disciplines he said. -.--,. -.-. Czechoslovak . Teams pit Iacy by Charlie Bowden Munich Bureau Munich. West Germany. Mich clue Johnson in her first encounter with opponents from the Warsaw pact found them physical and fast. Tarek tomes in his second matchup found them aggressive but Short on technical skills. But both Munich Campus sophomores found the visitors from the East bloc older and very experienced. I thought they were terrible As individuals tomes said but As a team they played hard and even for the whole game. Their experience experienced is a sound adjective forthe basketball squad from the University of Prague s chemistry department. Three limes during the past two years it has faced Oft against much younger teams representing the University of Maryland. Each Lime the americans came up Short. But czechoslovak coach Jan Burda with 30 years coaching experience looks upon the contest not As a Battle Burns an Exchange of culture and a Way to establish Friendship Between countries to meet on the sporting Field is goo for everybody he said. We learn about each other through a common love of sports. Munich Campus coach Martin Smith who teaches zoology shares those views and cites them As the main reason be Hind the Exchange. He first met Burda about six years ago on a Campus sponsored study tour to Prague. We had a Mutual interest in Basket Ball and thought it would be fun for our teams to play Smith said. Attempts to arrange a Tnp however were Short circuited by a Lack of funds until Burger King officials agreed to sponsor the trips. Taking his teams to Prague proved to be an Eye opener for the Young americans Smith said. When the teams took to the floor that Al so Lime he said the americans were surprised at the patched together look of the czechoslovak team who sported worn shoes and outdated uniforms. They just did t look like what my players would consider a top notch Basket Ball team he said. But looks can be deceiving. The Prague team played Well and under International rules rudely whipped the Munich Campus learn in Ihei spiffy red uniforms. Rick Munn Campus sports coordinator and a Point guard on the Munich squad has panic Apted in All three exchanges both As player and planner. During he first trip the american team stayed in a hotel and Oft court Contact was minimal. Last year however they stayed in the dorms with the czechoslovak students and were treated to student prepared meals and student led hours of the Eniy. There was a lot More socializing an getting to know one another on that trip Munn said the americans lost again when the Pra gue chemistry students and teachers arrived at Munich s Mccraw Cavern for a doubleheader against the men s and women s teams even though the czechoslovak were playing under unfamiliar Mcaa rules. v. Huron court results were secondary to the exchanges among the students from different sides of the political spectrum. The Munich students played Host to a special dinner for the visitors and As treat showed videos of Aba slam Dunk contests and games something the czechoslovak had never seen they loved that Munn said. Although the language Barrier May have been a contributing Factor Johnson and tomes found the Prague players Tobe withdrawn. That surprised me Al though i really did t know what to expect. Johnson said. Tomes agreed when we went there they were More open More that could have been because of players and coaches from both Side already Are discussing another rematch not Only to see whether the Young Ameri can squad can upset the older czech Oslo Vaks but also to continue the partnership has developed Between the two schools. Santa urged to be careful when flying several children who wrote to Santa Gaus in care of the Stan and stripes want to make sure he travel safely regardless of the weather. Be careful lying and Don t drink and Fly writes 4ft-Vcar old Barbi Ireland of Heidelberg West Ger Many. ,. -.-. Diana Dimont of. Kirch cons West Germany asks Bott thereather at the North pole and adds we had Snow but it is All gone now maybe you will have to drive your porsche instead of your Sleigh Olden who have written to Santa in care of the newspaper andean expect answers Are . 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